Women's Care Center (Obstetrics)

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Our Department

Obstetrical care at UnityPoint Health - Marshalltown is offered in a modern, warm and inviting setting dedicated to a woman’s unique health needs. Giving birth is one of the greatest joys you can experience. At the Women’s Care Center, nurses and physicians work together to provide special care for you, your family and your newborn. Our staff is dedicated to you.

Labor & Delivery

The Women’s Care Center includes four labor and delivery rooms and 10 post-partum/post-op rooms, with anesthesia services and the latest technology in fetal monitoring. It’s an added comfort to know that the comprehensive diagnostic and treatment resources are immediately available.

Our Women’s Care Center sees an average of 625 births per year and 200 inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures per year.

Our rooms provide a warm and pleasing home-like atmosphere. After the birth, mother and baby are transferred to one of the 10 post-partum rooms, each of which is family-friendly. Each of these rooms offers a Jacuzzi tub to aid in relaxation following delivery.

You can choose to keep your baby with you in your suite or, whenever you wish, your baby can spend time in the nursery, which is just steps away from you. All suites are located so that a nurse is always nearby you and your newborn.

Our specially-trained nursery nurses are committed to your baby and provide care in a fully-equipped nursery. The nursery has the latest technological innovations in infant resuscitation and monitoring equipment. When your infant is in the nursery, nursing staff are continually watching over your baby.

UnityPoint Health - Marshalltown Women's Care Center Security System

To further enhance the comfort and safety of patients in the Women's Care Center, CIH has implemented an electronic security access system. This system is used in conjunction with other patient safety programs to provide a comfortable and secure environment for all. This security system prevents infants from being wrongfully removed from the Women’s Care Center. In the event of a newborn being placed within the range of a door sensor, all the doors in the center automatically lock and an alarm will sound, alerting all staff in the hospital.

Pain Control Options

A dedicated staff member of Anesthesiologists and Certified Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) is available around the clock to provide pain control options for your comfort. Intrathecal pain management offers the following advantages to mother and baby:

Intrathecals for pain control allow the mother to be more comfortable, without complete loss of feeling during labor.

Since it allows you to be more relaxed, it can make your baby’s passage through the birth canal faster and easier.

Because intrathecals are not introduced through the mother’s bloodstream, it has a minimal, if any, effect on your baby.

We encourage you to discuss pain control methods with your physician during your prenatal visits.

Nutritional Consultation

Good nutrition is very important during pregnancy and after delivery. Our staff of clinical dietitians will gladly schedule a consultation with you on a variety of topics:

Good nutrition during pregnancy and guidelines to help both you and your baby benefit from healthy eating habits.

Healthy eating habits for gestational diabetes.

Basics of your baby’s special nutritional needs during the first year of life.

Nutritional needs and weight loss after delivery.

You must have your physician’s referral for a consultation.

Our Women’s Care Center also offers a Patient Room Service program. The program will allow patients to select their meals from a menu of nearly 100 different foods. With Patient Room Service, patients order what they want to eat, when they want to eat. All meals are delivered within 30 minutes of ordering, guaranteed. Meals are available anytime from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Breastfeeding Consultation

There are certified breastfeeding educators on staff at the Women’s Care Center. During your stay, one of our staff members will talk with you to provide breastfeeding education and support. Outpatient breastfeeding education is available and a breastfeeding support group meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. and the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. Mothers have the opportunity to share ideas and helpful hints with other mothers. A certified breastfeeding educator is present to share in the discussion and answer questions. If questions or issues with breastfeeding occur once you are home, you can call (641) 754-5166 to set up an appointment with a breastfeeding educator. There is no charge for this service.

Pre-admission Registration

Pre-admission forms are included with this brochure or can be sent to you. If you need a form, please call (641) 754-5115. You may pre-register anytime prior to delivery. Our pre-registration service saves you time by allowing you to go directly to the Women’s Care Center on the first floor of UnityPoint Health - Marshalltown on the day you check in to deliver.

Payment Options

If you have questions about payment options or insurance coverage, please call the Business Office at 754-5117. The business office staff will help you with answers to your specific questions about payment.

Social Services

Our Patient & Family Services staff assist patients, their families and other support persons in meeting needs they may experience as a result of illness and injury. Included are services which will assist you in transition from UnityPoint Health - Marshalltown to home or place of discharge. There is no charge for their services. Office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Building Healthy Families Program

Building Healthy Families is a multi-agency, collaborative home visitation program that is designed to provide culturally competent health care, child development and parent education, family support, and information and referral services to all parents of newborns who reside in Marshall County. This model program encourages collaboration to assist families with children ages birth to five years. It has established a well-defined continuum of community based services that are initiated prenatal and continue after birth. The program draws on the staff, expertise and funding of the following health and human service providers: UnityPoint Health - Marshalltown, the Foundation, Home Care, Marshalltown OB/GYN, Primary Health Center and Child Abuse Prevention Services, the lead agency for the program. It is the belief of the program that by focusing on the needs of parents of newborns and providing them with comprehensive services, the family will be safer, healthier and better equipped to be their child’s first teacher.

Visiting Hours

Our visiting hours allow you to share your joy with family and friends. Fathers, support persons, grandparents, siblings and others are welcome to visit. We encourage participating in this joyous time and learning about the new baby. To protect your newborn, children or adults with colds, fever or communicable disease cannot be in direct contact with your baby. During your stay, we encourage visitors to come before 9 p.m., except for fathers and significant others.